New York—The International Network for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ESCR-Net) sent a letter to the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia to express serious concern over the conditions faced by thousands of families who live, or lived prior to their eviction, near Boeung Kak Lake.

“The forcible evictions that took place to clear the area surrounding Boeung Kak Lake constitute serious violations of human rights, as articulated in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights,” said Chris Grove, ESCR-Net director.

The letter, endorsed by more than 220 organizations and 50 individuals in 70 countries, expresses concern about serious problems affecting families whose homes have been impacted by flooding, drainage problems and the lack of infrastructure upgrading. ESCR-Net also denounced that some of the families that have remained in the Boeung Kak Lake area have been excluded from the land registration process and continue to lack security of tenure, while low-income households that have received title to their homes continue to be vulnerable to future evictions.

“We note with concern that several thousand families were reportedly displaced from their homes in the Boeung Kak Lake area after accepting inadequate compensation under extreme duress, and that many have since become impoverished as a result”, Grove said, noting that community leaders have continued to courageously call for justice for their families and neighbors.

ESCR-Net called on the Government of Cambodia (GoC) to provide legal security of tenure to all remaining families in the area and to provide financial and technical assistance to households to upgrade their housing standards, consistent with the newly adopted National Housing Policy and international human rights standards.

Finally, the letter calls upon the GoC to ensure that the development around the Boeung Kak Lake area does not violate the human rights of affected communities and contributes to improvements in the standard of living of Cambodia’s low-income residents.